Sanofi-Aventis (SNY) will collaborate with the Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, in Tianjin, China to study cancer stem cells. The goal of the partnership is to isolate acute myeloid leukemia stem cells and then develop monoclonal antibodies against them.
The two entities will use the antibodies as vectors to study the cancer stem cells and, perhaps, use the antibodies as a platform for new drugs.
Sanofi-Aventis, the world’s third-largest pharma, is a significant presence in China, with many clinical trials currently underway there.
The Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Tianjin, China is one of the largest of its kind in China. It is affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences [CAMS], which was founded in 1906 as the Peking Union Medical College [PUMC]. The PUMC was a joint project from the then-Chinese government and several British and American religious groups (thus the term "Union"). In 1917, it was re-organized with the support of the Rockefeller Foundation. In 1956, PUMC was affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences [CAMS], which had been established in that year.
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